Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.telcom From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: telcom Thu, Feb 27 1992 Date: Thu, 27 Feb 92 06:04:26 EST Message-ID: DECISIONLINE: Telecommunications USA TODAY Update Feb. 27, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network MOTOROLA PAYS $15.1 MILLION: The Department of Justice said Motorola Inc. paid the USA $15.1 million Wednesday to settle government claims the company violated the False Claims Act and common law. The government said Motorola knowingly failed to disclose discounts it provided on computer equipment and maintenance and sold refurbished computer equipment Motorola represented as new. SETTLEMENT IS LARGEST FOR GSA: William R. Barton, inspector general, U.S. General Services Aministration said Wednesday's settlement with Motorola is the largest civil settlement ever received in connection with a single case initiated by the GSA Office of Inspector General. Barton said the settlement demonstrates the government's determination to enforce disclosure obligations required of contractors. MOBILE SERVICE CLEAR IN TUNNELS: NYNEX Mobile Communications Company Wednesday activated cellular telephone service in the Callahan and Sumner tunnels. That means that drivers traveling through the tunnels between Boston and Logan Airport and the North Shore now can conduct uninterrupted calls. The company installed specially-designed mile-long "antennas" that receive and transmit cellular calls. GTE GAINS SWAIZILAND CONTRACT: GTE Spacenet said Wednesday it has signed a $2.5 million contract to upgrade an existing earth station in Swaziland, Africa. The upgrade will enable the Swaziland Posts & Telecommunications Corp. to provide international, direct-dial and digital service for its public-switched telephone network. GTE Spacenet will provide the engineering, systems design and equipment. CRESCENDO PLAN TO GO TO VOTE: Crescendo Communications said Wednesday its proposal for Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) on unshielded twisted pair is one of two that will be voted on in April by the American National Standards Institute subcommittee developing an FDDI standard for twisted pair wiring. The other proposal has been presented jointly by Cabletron and National Semiconductor Association. IBM GAINS CALIF. CONTRACT: The California State Department of Social Services has awarded an IBM subsidiary an $80 million contract to develop an automated system to support child care services. The system will connect 4,500 Personal System:2 computers placed in 160 locations and provide caseworkers with access to child and family information. HEWLETT-PACKARD TO MAKE TV BOX: TV Answer has made a deal with Hewlett-Packard. H-P said it will make an electronic box that can be attached to television sets that provide "interactive" TV service. TV Answer will allow viewers to buy groceries, pay bills and buy from home shopping channels, among other things. ARIANESPACE LAUNCHES SATELLITES: Arianespace launched two satellites Wednesday, Superbird B1 for Space Communications Corporation of Japan and Arabsat 1C for the Arab League. Superbird B1 will provide telecommunications, data transmission and TV broadcasting services for Japanese Islands. Arabsat 1C will provide telecommunications, data and TV transmission services for the 21 members of the Arab League. CENTURY NAMES NEW CEO: Century Telephone Enterprises Inc. has named Glen F. Post III as its new CEO. Former CEO Clarke M. Williams, 70, remains chairman of the board. Post has served on the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association board of directors and has been involved in the cellular industry since its infancy. Century provides phone service to more than 375,000 customers in 15 states. AT&T EMPLOYEES LAID OFF: Forty-five hourly employees at the AT&T plant in Little Rock, Ark., were told Wednesday that they will be laid off as of March 27. The company said the layoffs were made because of the current business conditions and changes in production forecasts. HOME SYSTEMS TO BE LINKED: Compu-Home Systems International and Carrier Corp. signed an an agreement Wednesday. Carrier's Electronic Controls Operations division will provide the data and information necessary to enable Compu-Home to develop and offer a link-up between Compu-Home's new home automation system, known as Maestro, and Carrier ECO's residential zoning system known as Comfort Zone. Telecommunications Editor: Ed Kelleher. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. 08:0002270000D0227 TREN- R J CEO-pay-comes-under-scrutiny.......... A D0227 This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM